Education officials in Ghana say the Unesco programme will empower children with information on their sexuality and reproductive health issues.

Director of the Ghana Education Service says CSE will help "nurture positive attitudes, open-mindedness, respect for self and others, non-judgmental attitudes and a sense of responsibility concerning sexual and reproductive health issues".

But pressure groups in Ghana say the programme is a guise to introduce children to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender activism.

“It is a strategy - they have a plan. It is not always open for you to see,” says Moses Foh Amoaning, leader of National Coalition for Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Values, a pressure group that claims homosexuality is a sin.

Parents and Christian groups are questioning why young children have to be introduced to sex education before they are sexually active, describing the plans as "demonic".

Leaders of Ghana’s teachers association say they have not been consulted on the programme but have served notice that they are opposed to the move.

The CSE programme is set to take effect after consultations with stakeholders in the education sector.